Resilient expansible buckle mounting



Oct. 25,' 1949. L. H. EAsLlcK 2,486,356

RESILIENT EXPNSIBLE BUCKLE MOUNTING Filed sept. 22, 1948 2 2sheets-sheet 1 pct. 25, ,1949. L. H. EASLICK 2,486,356

RESILIENT EXPANSIBLE BUCKLE MOUNTING Filed Sept. 22, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet2 sz-a. 69 6/ 69.5

/fowfey Patented Oct. 25, 1949 v 2,486,356 i RESILIENT EXPANSIBLE BUCKLEMOUNTING i Lloyd H. Easlick, Flourtown, Pa., assignor to PioneerSuspender Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of PennsylvaniaApplication September 22, 1948, Serial No. 50,592

9 Claims. l

The present invention relates to trouser belts and similar fastening andsupporting members for clothing and it relates more particularly totrouser belt constructions wherein the buckle is made resilientlymovable relative to the belt to provide greater comfort for the wearer.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new and improvedconstruction for trouser belts and like fastening and supporting membersfor clothing. Another object of the present invention is to provide aneat, comfortable, inexpensive, dependable and long-lasting constructionfor a trouser bel-t or the like wherein the buckle or similar fasteningelement is made resiliently movable relative to the belt.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention are apparent inthe following detailed description, appended claims and accompanyingdrawings.

It has heretofore been proposed to provide a trouser belt constructionwherein the buckle is made resiliently movable relative to the belt sothat there is a slight give or expansibility to the belt, when worn,thereby providing a greater degree of comfort than is possible withnonresilient belt constructions.

However, none of these prior belt constructions has proved entirelysatisfactory since all of them have been relatively complicated anddiicult to assemble and install and have tended to fail upon prolongeduse due to inherent shortcomings in the structure.

In my co-pending applications Serial No. 18,- 398, filed April 1, 1948,and Serial 39,444, filed July 19, 1948, now abandoned, of which thepresent application is a continuation-in-part, I have disclosed aresilient mounting for a belt-buckle or the like wherein the buckle ispivotally carried by a connector having an elongated, thin, flat shankpassing through a slot formed through a folded, looped end of the belt(which is of flexible but non-resilient material such as leather,synthetic plastic or fabric), the inner end of the shank being connectedto a spring tensioning it inwardly; a stop-member of metal or the likebeing immovably secured relative to the fold or loop of the beltgenerally adjacent the slot so as to limit the outward movement of theconnector and buckle. In the embodiments of my co-pending applicationSerial No. 18,398, the stop-member is provided with bent-over ears whichcooperate with stop-shoulders formed at the inner end of the thin flatshank so as to limit the outward movement of the shank. In theembodiments of my co-pending application Serial No, 39,444, thestop-member is provided with a stem-portion which` extends through alongitudina1 slot in the shank of the connector so as to limit itsmovement relative to the belt.

In the forms of both of my co-pending applications Serial Nos. 18,398and 39,444, the stop-member is formed as a separate and distinct elementwhich must be fastened to the belt adjacent the fold-line as one of theseveral assembly operations.

According to the present invention, I have developed a further -improvedconstruction wherein the stop-member (which may take any of the forms ofmy aforesaid co-pending applications) permanently attached to andcarried by the attachment-plate which anchors the spring to the beltwhereby the buckle and connector parts can be pre-assembled vas a moreor less unitary element which can -be quickly and easily installed uponthe belt with only a single fastening operation.

The present invention further contemplates a construction wherein asimple and inexpensive shield is provided intermediate the helicalspring and at least one of the panels of the belt loop so as to reducefriction or binding and thereby to insure smoother and easier operationof the buckle and connector during use.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there are shown in theaccompanying drawings forms thereof which are at present preferred,although it is to be understood that the various instrumentalities ofwhich the invention consists can be variously arranged and organized andthat the invention is not limited to the precise arrangements andorganizations of the instrumentalities as herein shown and described.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like reference charactersindicate like parts throughout:

Figure 1 represents a fragmentary perspective view of one embodiment ofthe present invention with the buckle in partially-extended position,parts being broken away better to ref veal the construction thereof.

Figure l-a represents a cross-sectional view taken on an enlarged scalegenerally along the line I-a-l-a of Figure l.

Figure 2 represents an elevational view, on `a somewhat reduced scale,showing the inner or underside of the embodiment of Figure 1, but withthe buckle shown in fully-retracted position; parts being broken awaybetter to reveal the construction thereof.

Figure 3 represents a cross-sectional view taken generally along theline 3--3 of Figure 1 but with bh@ buckle shown in fully-extendedposition.

Figure 4 represents a cross-sectional view generally along the line 4 4of Figure 3.

Figure 5 represents an elevational view, on a further reduced scale, ofa buckle and connector assembly showing the top or outer side thereof,as a more or less unitary element ready for installation upon a belt.

Figure 6 represents an elevational View of a buckle and connector unitshowing the inner or underside thereof.

Figure 6-a represents a cross-sectional view taken generally along theline B-af-G-c of Figure 6.

Figure 7 represents a perspective view generally like that of Figure 1showing another yembodiment of the present invention.

Figure 8 represents an elevational View showing the upper or outer sideof the connector unit of Figure '7.

Figure 9 represents a cross-sectional view generally along the line 9-9of Figure 8.

Figure 10 represents a fragmentary perspective view showing a modifiedform of the embodiment of Figures 7-9.

Figure 11 represents a cross-sectional view generally along line II-I lof Figure 10.

In one embodiment of the present invention shown generally in Figures1-5, I may provide a trouser-belt including an elongated strap or beltI3 of leather or fabric or synthetic plastic or other flexible butrelatively non-resilient material, one end of which is folded back uponitself to provide a generally enclosed loop or pocket or compartment 20having a front panel 2l and a rear panel 22 which are sewn together attheir upper and lower edges by rows of stitching 23 and 24; a transverserow of stitching 25 closing the end of the loop or compartment generallyadjacent the free edge of the rear panel 22.

A buckle 2S of generally .conventional construction, including atongue12'l rotatably mounted upon the rear bar or bridge 28 and adaptedto bear, with its free end, against the front bar 29 of the buckle 26,is constructed and arranged to be mounted exteriorly of the loop 20 in amanner to be more fully described hereinbelow.

The buckle 26 is rotatably held by one end of a connector member 30which includes a pair of laterally-spaced curved sleeves 3l constructedand arranged to embrace the rear bar or bridge 28 (on either side of thetongue 2l) so as t0 permit the buckle to pivot relative to the connectormember 30.

The connector member, which is preferably integrally formed of metal orthe like, also includes a thin at elongated shank 32 which extends incontinuation of the sleeves 3l and passes through a thin transverse slotor opening 33 formed in the central portion of the fold-line 34 of theloop or compartment 20 with its inner free end 35 terminating inside theloop or compartment 2U which, as indicated particularly in Figure 4, isbulged slightly intermediate the stitching 23 and 24 to provide an innercompartment to receive the shank 32.

The shank 32 (which, as indicated particularly in Figures 1, 2 and 4,has a transverse dimension somewhat less than that of the slot 33, sothat it can be inserted into the loop through said slot) may be providedwith a longitudinally-extending strengthening rib 36 pressed outwardtherefrom to provide greater rigidity and resistance to bending ortwisting.

The inner end 35 of the shank 32 is provided with a pair ofintegrally-formed forwardly or 4 outwardly bent stop shoulders 31 whichserved to increase the thickness or front-to-rear dimension of the end35 without enlarging the transverse dimension, as indicated in Figures 1and 2 and 5.

The inner end 35 is also provided with an integrally-formed central loop35-a to which one end of a helical spring 39 is connected.

The other end of the spring 39 is connected to a loop 40 formed at theenlarged rear-end 4l of an elongated generally flat rigid anchoragemember 43 of sheet-metal or the like which extends forwardly beyond andunderneath the rear or inner end 35 of the shank 32. The rear-end 4l isprovided with a pair of small holes 42-a whereby it can be fastened tothe panel 22 adjacent the innermost end of the loop or compartment 20 bya pair of rivets 42.

The front-end of the member 43 is provided with a pair ofintegrally-formed stop ears 45 which extend transversely therefrom andare bent over so as to overlie and enclose the transverse edges of theshank 32, whereby the member 43 and the shank 32 are maintained inface-to-face or side-by-Side sliding relationship. The spring 39 isdisposed in juxtaposed side-by-side relationship to the anchorage member43.

The elongated intermediate portion l0 of the member 43 is pressedoutward as at 'H along one side thereof so as to strengthen theelongated member and also to provide a longitudinally extending groove72 within which the spring 39 is partially recessed so as to minimizethe extent to which the spring protrudes beyond said member 43. Thus,the groove l2 may have a transverse dimension of approximatelyone-fourth to one-half the circumference of the spring so that` a.corresponding part of the spring is more or less enclosed thereby.

The ears 45 serve to limit the outward movement of the shank 32 (when apull is applied to the buckle so as to stretch the spring 39) since theylie in the path of the stop-shoulders 3l. It is apparent that, when thepull on the buckle is released, the spring 39 will operate to retractthe connector member 3B and to return it from the fully-extendedposition shown in Figure 3 to the fully-retracted position shown inFigure 2.

When the trouser belt of the present invention is worn with the otherend 46 of the strap I9 (shown in dash-dot lines in Figure 1) passedthrough the buckle 26 (with the buckle-tongue 21 inserted into one ofthe holes 4l formed adjacent the end 46) and inserted within theretaining loop 48 set into the loop 2i! near the inner end thereof,there will be a tendency for the buckle 26 to be pulled out to someextent due to the fact that the trouser-belt is usually worn somewhattightened. It is a simple matter to adjust the point at which the bucklewill give under the proper pulling force affording the greatest comfortto the wearer.

In other words, the spring should not be too strong since this wouldrequire the belt to be tightened excessively before the spring-actioncomes into effect and, accordingly, would render the belt uncomfortable.

On the other hand, the spring should not be too weak since this wouldcause the buckle and connector to be pulled all the way out to thefullyextended position shown in Figure 3 before the belt was tightenedsufciently to permit it to function properly and, as a result, theresilience would be lost. Thus, when the belt is worn normally, thebuckle and connector are in the partially-extended position shown inFigure 1 wherein the spring provides a resilientl connector which giveswith the movements of the wearer to provide maximum comfort.

In assembling the novel trouser-belt construction of Figure 1, thebuckle 26,` connector member 38', spring 39 and member 43 are firstpreassembled as a more or less integral unit.

The slot 33 may then be formed transversely along the strap I9 along aline which will subsequently become the fold-line 34. The pre-assembledunit (namely the buckle 26 plus the connector-member 30 plus the spring39 plus the attachment-and-stop-member 43) is then inserted through theslot 33 and the retaining loop 48 and the rivets 42 affixed.

Thereafter, the stitching 23-24-25 is applied to complete the formationof the closed loop or compartment 20.

From the foregoing, it is evident that the assembly operation is greatlysimplified and that labor cost is greatly reduced, inasmuch as thepre-assembled unit can be inexpensively made up elsewhere and aixed tothe belt in a fraction of the time otherwise required inresilient-buckle instructions of the types heretofore employed.

In addition to serving as stop-members, the ears 45 function as a guidefor the shank, minimizing transverse movement thereof and reducing wearon the slot 33.

Inasmuch as the elongated member 43 lies intermediate the helical spring39 on the one hand andthe rear-panel 22 and the retainingloop 48 on theother hand, it serves as a shield so as to eliminate friction whichwould otherwise be present when the spring expands and contractsrelative to the rear panel 22. In this way, binding of the spring isminimized thereby insuring easier and more responsive spring-action.

Inasmuch as the upturned stop shoulders 31 serve to space the frontpanel 2| somewhat away from the spring 39, there is relatively littlefriction between the spring and the frontV panel and, accordingly, ithas been found unnecessary to provide a similar protecting shield on thetop or outer side of said spring.

In Figure 6 there is shown a modied form of the embodiment of Figures1-5 wherein the integral one-piece member 43 is replaced by athree-piece attachment-and-stop-unit 50 made up of an attachment plate5|, a stop-member 52 having bent-over ears 53 similar to the ears 45described hereinabove, and an elongated connecting strip 54 of exiblematerial (as for example synthetic plastic or the like) having its endslooped through slots 55 and 58 formed in the attachment plate 5I and thestop-member 52 respectively; the looped ends of the connecting strip 54being then stitched as at 5`|a and #5l-b to provide a more or lessunitary structure which provides stop-action for the shank 32 and whichprovides a somewhat greater degree of comfort by replacing the lessflexible metal of the member 43 by the elongated flexible connectingstrip 54.

Instead of being constructed of fully ilexible material like syntheticplastic, the connecting strip 54 may be made of very thin metal, as forexample ribbon steel, which can be bent freely in the horizontal planebut which resists vertical or transverse displacement so that it tendsto maintain the stop-member 53 against up or down displacement andthereby aids in maintaining the shank of the connector member generallyin alignment with'the slot in the fold-line of the belt.`

ment plate 5| to the rear panel 22 in the manner described hereinabove.

In Figures 7-9, there is shown another embodiment which generallyresembles that of Figures 1-5 except that member 43-a does not havethegroove 12 and, instead, is a generally thin flat member throughout asindicated particularly in Figure 9. Additionally, this embodiment,instead of having stop-ears 45, is provided with a rivet 58 extendingupwardly or outwardly adjacent its forward end and except that the shank32-a is provided with a longitudinally extending slot 59 through whichthe rivet 58 extends in a manner similar to that disclosed in mycopending application Serial No. 39,444.

A washer 60 is maintained upon the stem of the rivet 58, adjacent theouter surface of the shank 32-a by the enlarged head V6| of said rivet58.

The rivet 58 may be firmly affixed to the front end of the member t3-a.'in any appropriate conventional manner so that the shank 32-a is free tomove longitudinally while being restrained against appreciablehorizontal or vertical displacement. It is obvious that the outwardmovement of the shank 32-a will be limited to the point at which theinnerend 59-a of the slot 59 strikes the stem of the rivet 58 while theinward movement of the shank will be limited to the point at which theouter end of 59-a of the slot 59 strikes the stem of the rivet 58.

The method of assembly and the mode of operation of this embodiment aregenerally the same as described hereinabove.

In Figures 10 and 11 there is shown a modified form of the embodiment ofFigures 7-9 wherein the rivet 58 is eliminated and, instead, the frontend of the member 43-b is provided with a pair of integrally-formed lugs62 which are bent so as to extend outwardly and through the slot 59 andare then bent over transversely to provide retaining shoulders 83 on theouter side of the shank 32-a.

The lugs 62 cooperate with the slot 59 to limit the movement of theshank in the same manner as described in connection with the embodimentof Figures 7-9.

It is obvious that various modiiications of the structure describedhereinabove could be made.

Thus, for example, the ears 45 of Figure 1 and the ears 53 of Figure 6could be modified or replaced in a manner analogous to the variousembodiments of my co-pending application Serial No. 18,398.

Similarly, the forms of stop-members shown in Figures '7-9 and 10 couldbe modified as suggested in my co-pending application Serial No. 39,444.

It is also obvious that the ears 53 of the stopmember 52 could bereplaced by the rivet of Figure 7 or the lugs of Figure l0, cooperatingwith an appropriate slot formed in the shank of the connector.

Furthermore, the member 43-a of Figures 7-9 could be provided with alongitudinally extending groove as in the embodiment of Figures '1-5and, conversely, the member i3 of Figures 1-5 could be constructed as athin, flat member, without the groove l2.

The vpresent invention may be embodied in other speciiic forms Withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and it istherefore desired that the present embodiments be considered in allrespects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to theappended claims rather to the foregoing description to indicate thescope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to protectby Letters Patent:

1. For use with a flexible garment-supporting belt or the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated shank extending through saidslot and within said compartment, an elongated 'member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end ixedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedmember being disposed at least in part in side-by-side slidingrelationship with said shank, said elongated member and said shank beingmaintained in side-by-side juxtaposed relationship by a pair of earsformed on one of them and bent so as to overlie the other, and a helicalspring operatively connected intermediate said elongated member and saidshank and constructed and arranged yieldably to urge said shank inwardlyrelative to said slot, said elongated member having a longitudinallyextending groove formed therein, said helical spring being disposed insaid groove.

2. For use with a flexible garment-supporting belt or the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated shank extending through saidslotl and Within said compartment, an elongated member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end fixedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedmember being disposed at least in part in side-by-side slidingrelationship with said shank, said elongated member and said shank beingmaintained in side-by-side juxtaposed relationship by a pair of earsformed on one of them and bent so as to overlie the other, a helicalspring operatively connected intermediate said elongated member and saidshank and constructed and arranged yieldably to urge said shank inwardlyrelative to said slot, said elongated member having a longitudinallyextending groove formed therein, said helical spring being disposed insaid groove, and cooperating stop-means constructed and arranged tolimit the outward movement of said shank relative to said elongatedmember.

3. For use with a flexible garment-supporting belt or the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for a.

buckle or 4the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated vshank extending throughsaid slot and within said compartment, an elongated member disposedentirely within said compartment and having one end iixedly connected`to one of said panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, saidelongated member extending in side-by-side relationship to said shank,means maintaining said shank in juxtaposed side-by-side slidingrelationship to the outer end of said elongated member, and a helicalspring operatively connected intermediate said elongated member and saidshank and constructed and arranged yieldably to urge said shank inwardlyrelative to said slot, said elongated member having .alongitudinally-extending groove formed therein and said helical springbeing disposed in said groove.

4. .For use with a exible garment-supporting belt or the like having oneend folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated shank extending through saidslot and within said compartment, an elongated member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end xedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedmember extending in side-by-side relationship to said shank, meansmaintaining said shank in juxtaposed side-by-side sliding relationshipto the outer end of said elongated member, and a helical springoperatively connected intermediate said elongated member and said shankand constructed and arranged yieldably to urge said shank inwardlyrelative to said slot, said elongated member having a longitudinallyextending groove 'formed therein, said helical spring being disposed insaid groove, and said shank having a stop-shoulder formed at its innerend and constructed and arranged to limit the outward movement of saidconnector.

5. 'For use with a flexible garment-supporting belt or the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated generally flat sheetmetalshank extending through said slot and within said compartment, anelongated generally flat sheet-metal anchorage member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end fixedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedanchorage member extending in face-to-face relationship to said shank,means for maintaining said shank in face-to-face sliding relationshipwith said elongated anchorage member, and a helical spring operativelyinterposed between the inner end of said shank and an end of saidanchorage member and in juxtaposed side-by-side relationship to saidelongated anchorage member.

6. For use with a ilexible garment-supporting belt or `the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the.

fold-line; a resilient and expansible mounting for a buckle or the likecomprising a connector constructed and arranged to support said buckleand having an elongated generally i'lat sheetmetal shank extendingthrough said slot and within said compartment, an elongated generally atsheet-metal anchorge member disposed entirely within said compartmentand having one end flxedly connected to one of said panels adjacent theinner end of said compartment, said elongated anchorage member extendingin faceto-face relationship to said shank, means for maintaining saidshank in face-to-face sliding relationship with said elongated anchoragemember, and a helical spring operatively interposed between the innerend of said shank and an end of said anchorage member and extending injuxtaposed side-by-side relationship to said elongated anchorage member,said elongated anchorage member being provided with a 1ongitudinallyextending groove and said helical spring being disposed in said groove.

'1. For use with a exible garment-supporting belt or the like having oneend folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated shank extending through saidslot and within said compartment, an elongated member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end xedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedmember extending in side-by-side relationship to said shank, means formaintaining said shank in side-by-side sliding relationship with thecuter end of said elongated member, said lastmentioned means comprisinga pair of earsformed at the outer end of said elongated member and bentso as to overlie said shank, and a helical spring connected to the innerend of said shank and extending inwardly therefrom in juxtaposedside-by-side relationship to said elongated member, with the other endof said spring connected to the inner end of said elongated member.

8. For use with a flexible garment-supporting belt or the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated shank extending through saidslot and within said compartment, an elongated member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end xedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedmember extending in side-by-side relationship to said shank, means formaintaining said shank in side-by-side sliding relationship with theouter end of said elongated member, said last-mentioned means comprisinga rivet mounted at the outer end of said elongated member and extendingthrough a longitudinally extending slot formed in said shank, and ahelical spring connected to the inner end of said shank and extendinginwardly therefrom in juxtaposed sideby-side relationship to saidelongated member, with the other end of said spring connected to theinner end of said elongated member.

9. For use with a ilexible garment supporting belt or the like havingone end folded inwardly and peripherally stitched to provide a generallyenclosed compartment having front and rear panels and having a slotformed along the foldline; a resilient and expansible mounting for abuckle or the like comprising a connector constructed and arranged tosupport said buckle and having an elongated shank extending through saidslot and within said compartment, an elongated member disposed entirelywithin said compartment and having one end xedly connected to one ofsaid panels adjacent the inner end of said compartment, said elongatedmember extending in side-by-side relationship to said shank, means formaintaining said shank in side-by-side sliding relationship with theouter end of said elongated member, said last-mentioned means comprisinga pair of shoulders formed at the outer end of said elongated member andpassing through a longitudinally extending slot formed in said shank,and a helical spring connected to the inner end of said shank andextending inwardly therefrom in juxtaposed side-by-side relationship tosaid elongated member, with the other end of said spring connected tothe inner end of said elongated member.

LLOYD H. EASLICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,367,481 Jansen Feb. 1, 19211,524,616 Erpenbeck Jan. 27, 1925 1,594,962 Jacobs Aug. 3, 19262,415,254 Lutz et al Feb'. 4, 1947

